Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change

The Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change, one of Mother Jones magazine's 2009 global warming skeptic "Dirty Dozen of Climate Change Denial". Founded in 1998 by members of the Idso family, its income has burgeoned in recent years.

Its IRS filings are intriguing, including reporting expenses of almost $350,000 for "Contract labor".

IRS Form 990 curiosities
The Center's 2009 IRS 990 reports paying $187,500 to Robert E. Ferguson of SPPI, plus a $60k bonus, for a total of $247,500. The circumstances surrounding this payment remain unclear. (and SPPI appears to be a shell company...)

It also reports $345,791 for "Contract labor".

The Center reported income of $25,449 for 2003 ; this appears inconsistent with Exxon's reported 2003 donation of $40,000 plus Sarah Scaife Foundation's 2003 donation of $50,000.

Attempts to hear explanations for these curiosities from Ferguson and the Idsos have not been successful.

Mission
The Center states on its website that its mission is to distribute "factual reports and sound commentary on new developments in the world-wide scientific quest to determine the climatic and biological consequences of the ongoing rise in the air's CO2 content".

Work products
The Center produces a weekly online science newsletter called CO2 Science Magazine.

Nonprofit status
The Center is a 501(c)(3), EIN 86-0902777, at a Tempe AZ address; it was founded in 1998.

CO2Science - related, but a separate entity
Craig Idso's group CO2Science is a 501(c)(3) as well; it is EIN 20-2778308, at a Gilbert AZ address, and was founded in 2006. ,

Remarkable recent increases
The Center's yearly grants and contributions have increased markedly since 2005:
 * 2009: $1,548,145
 * 2008: $1,065,971
 * 2007: $ 674,725
 * 2006: $ 300,554
 * 2005: $  25,563
 * 2004: $  30,422
 * 2003: $  25,449

Policy: funding, funders kept confidential
On the Center's website, Sherwood B. Idso writes that "our typical response is that we never discuss our funding. Why? Because we believe that ideas about the way the world of nature operates should stand or fall on their own merits, irrespective of the source of support for the person or organization that produces them ... It is self-evident, for example, that one need not know from whence a person's or organization's funding comes in order to evaluate the reasonableness of what they say, if - and this is a very important qualification - one carefully studies the writings of people on both sides of the issue."

The Center states on its website that it "accepts corporate, foundation and individual donations" and that "all donations are kept confidential".

Funding from ExxonMobil
Sherwood Idso confirmed that Exxon "made some donations to us a few times in the past" but attributed this to the fact that "they probably liked what we typically had to say about the issue. But what we had to say then, and what we have to say now, came not, and comes not, from them or any other organization or person."

ExxonMobil's 2001 list of groups it funded listed a $10,000 contribution to the Center in 2001. Center for Science in the Public Interest, "Center for the study of carbon dioxide and global change", Integrity in Science, undated, accessed March 2004.

StopExxon.org reports the Center has received $90,000 from ExxonMobil between 1998 and 2005 comprising:
 * 2008: 0?
 * 2007: 0
 * 2006: $10,000 ,
 * 2005: $25,000
 * 2003: $40,000
 * 2000: $15,000
 * 1998: $10,000

Funding from Sarah Scaife Foundation
According to MediaTransparency, in 1999 the Center received $50,000 from the Sarah Scaife Foundation, and in 2003 another $50,000 for "General operating support" ; but this information may conflict with the Center's 2003 "Grants and contributions" Form 990 numbers above.

1999, Western Fuels Association
In October 1999 Craig D. Idso and Keith E. Idso mentioned that they had "recently completed a project commissioned by the Greening Earth Society entitled "Forecasting World Food Supplies: The Impact of the Rising Atmospheric CO2 Concentration," which we presented at the Second Annual Dixy Lee Ray Memorial Symposium held in Washington, DC on 31 August - 2 September 1999." The Greening Earth Society, a front group of the Western Fuels Association.

2006, Oil industry business: Cenospheres
Craig Idso incorporated Cenospheres.net Inc., serving the oilfield industry, in 2006.

Personnel

 * Craig Idso, Chairman
 * Sherwood B. Idso, President, (the father of Keith and Craig)
 * Keith E. Idso, Vice President
 * Julene M.  Idso, Operations Manager.


 * Robert E. Ferguson,

Advisors
Donald Paul Hodel, chairman of Summit Power Group, was listed among the "scientific advisors" to the Center. The Center's scientific advisors are: [to be added]

Contact details
Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change P.O. Box 25697 Tempe, AZ 85285-5697 USA

Telephone: 480-966-3719 Fax: 480-966-0758 Email: staff AT co2science.org Web: http://www.co2science.org/center.htm

Other SourceWatch resources

 * Climate change
 * Idso family
 * Robert E. Ferguson
 * Science and Public Policy Institute

External Resources

 * "Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change", Wikipedia

External Articles

 * Josh Harkinson, The Dirty Dozen of Climate Change Denial: No. 8: Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change (A.K.A. The Idso Family), Mother Jones, December 4, 2009.